


Spark in the Night

by ScribeOfRemedy



Series: Spark from Tenebrae [3]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: All the Hurts, Alternate Universe - Role Reversal, Blood and Injury, But Mostly Hurt, Canon-Typical Violence, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Torture, Major Character Injury
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-05
Updated: 2020-07-24
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:47:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 8
Words: 19,609
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24561049
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScribeOfRemedy/pseuds/ScribeOfRemedy
Summary: A continuation of Spark from Tenebrae.Siblings Ignis and Lunafreya Nox Fleuret have joined Noctis and his retinue on their mission to infiltrate Gralea, the Imperial capital. But the light wanes by the day and the chancellor dogs their every step. Here they’ll find more than daemons lurk beneath the shadows.An Ignis and Ravus Roleswap.
Relationships: Can be Aranea Highwind/Ignis Scientia, Gladiolus Amicitia & Prompto Argentum & Noctis Lucis Caelum & Ignis Scientia, Lunafreya Nox Fleuret & Ravus Nox Fleuret, Lunafreya Nox Fleuret/Noctis Lucis Caelum
Series: Spark from Tenebrae [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1186580
Comments: 3
Kudos: 15





	1. Casting Off

**Author's Note:**

> Wow, it’s been so very long since the first installment in this series that I’m a little embarrassed it’s taken so long to get the sequel to where I’m ready to start posting it. I’ve been in and out of multiple projects and fandoms a lot over the last two years but this story has always been hanging out in the back of my mind, waiting to be finished. I hope anyone who wanders over from the original Spark from Tenebrae finds it a worthy conclusion. I’d like to thank [ScribeOfReaper](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScribeOfReaper) for being absolutely awesome and betaing this story for me as well all the people who encouraged me to keep at it. This is for you guys!
> 
> A quick recap: This kicks off right where the last story left us in Altissia, after the confrontation with Leviathan and saving Lunafreya from Ardyn.

_**Altissia** _

  
  


If there was one thing Ravus could not tolerate, it was incompetence. Whether faced with an ill planned strategy, poorly maintained stock or delays incited by either Noct’s endless procrastinating or Prompto’s ever constant distractions, the advisor was always quick to deal with the inadequacy. It was, however, thus far one thing he could not fault the former high commander for. Though he was loathe to admit it, Ignis had yet to be found lacking in any task he’d undertaken since allying himself with them after the battle for the Tidemother’s blessing. It was slightly maddening.

That was why Ravus had only been able to avoid the kitchen for so long after Lady Lunafreya had spoken up in the middle of a debate on what to do with their limited funds for dinner. The oracle and Noct both were now conscious and recovering, the two of them eager to continue onward, though the entire party was increasingly anxious. The time for their departure from Altissia was drawing steadily closer, but for tonight they would have to make do with what meager rations Weskham had been able to scrounge up for them. It was a chore none of the Insomnians were keen to tackle as culinary talent was, regrettably, in short supply. Surprisingly, Lady Lunafreya had been the one to offer up an alternativ, “Why not allow Ignis to prepare something? He’s quite the skilled cook.”

Ignis had replied with a humble, “You flatter me,” but was quick to acquiesce to his sister’s whim and absconded to the tiny kitchenette attached to their suite.

As it was, Ravus was only marginally surprised to discover the man very much in his element, composing the ingredients at his disposal with an ease Ravus might have imagined he commanded the MTs terrorizing Lucis. The dish he was preparing looked impressively complex considering what the Tenebraen had to work with. “Well, you certainly seem to know what you’re doing.”

Ignis continued to systematically dice the Lucian tomatoes without missing a beat. “Ah, it’s nothing special. In fact, you’ll have to forgive me. I’m afraid I’ve not had much opportunity to prepare fare for more refined pallets.”

Ravus scoffed. “And that shan’t change tonight. His Highness is content to inhale junk food most days and the rest of his retinue are hardly better.”

Curiously, the admission caused Ignis to pause his chopping. “Surely you must be joking. You can’t possibly expect to obtain anything of nutritional value from a box.”

Ravus shrugged, though his interest was piqued by Ignis’ obvious concern. “It’s not my role to stand in as his mother and force the prince to eat his vegetables. If Noct wishes to desecrate his body I’m certainly not able to stop him.”

Satisfied something edible would indeed end up on the table that evening, the advisor left the younger Nox Fleuret with a fiery glint in his eyes.

  
  


* * *

  
  


The vegetable stew was hearty, impeccably seasoned and ideal for refueling the frazzled party. The pot was rendered empty in an impressively short span of time.

Prompto had moaned in delight since his first bite. “Dude, where have you been all my life?”

Ignis smiled, clearly pleased with the praise. “I’m glad the stew was to your liking.”

“ _To my liking,_ are you kidding me? This is the most delicious thing I’ve had in my mouth for ages! Please tell me you’re gonna cook again; I’d be you’re devoted servant, man, whatever you want,” Prompto gushed.

“Changing loyalties, Prompto?” Gladio teased from behind his own heaping portion.

Prompto sputtered in indignation before narrowing his eyes at the shield. “Well, excuse me but _some_ of us enjoy a break from eating Cup Noodles for days on end! Am I right, Noct?”

Noctis shrugged. “I don’t know, at least there’s less vegetables in that.”

“His Royal Majesty, ladies and gentlemen,” Ravus spoke in that dry monotone he tended to reserve for when he was particularly unimpressed, typically with his liege.

Completely unaffected by the tone, Noctis continued to systematically pluck tomatoes and carrots from the stew to be deposited at the side of his bowl where they became free game for Prompto and occasionally Umbra. The canine messenger sat obediently at their feet beneath the squat table in the sitting room, eagerly accepting any offerings. Ignis watched on, clenching his plastic spork with just a pinch of excess force and endeavoring not to take the king’s dissection of the dish personally. _Perhaps a different base for the gravy next time._

Whether aware of her brother’s agitation or charmed by Noct’s finicky dining habits, Lunafreya seemed to find the situation particularly amusing and hid the upturn of her lips behind another ladylike sip of the stew.

“Dude, royally embarrassing,” Prompto elbowed Noctis, though lightly as he scooped up another of his friend's carrots for himself.

With a practiced ease cultivated through many exasperating yet somehow fulfilling years of service to the crown, Ravus ignored the shenanigans taking place around the table and spoke to the matters at hand. “In any case, it’s time we discussed our next move. It’s best we not test the hospitality of First Secretary Claustra more than necessary.”

“No kidding, don’t think she’s the type to forgive any debts,” Gladio agreed easily while finishing off the last of his stew by upturning the bowl to empty directly into his mouth.

Ravus’ eye twitched in response to the complete lack of etiquette – in front of so many royals no less – but next to Prompto’s audible slurping and Noct’s own fussy behavior, the advisor grudgingly admitted it was simply a lost cause. “Yes… our first order of business should be to obtain passage to Niflheim, Cartanica specifically. We’ve a strong likelihood of locating a royal tomb within the mine.”

“Yeah, sounds good and all, but it’s going to be dangerous driving the Regalia around in imperial territory.” Gladio crossed his arms and scowled over their newest problem.

“I don’t think everyone’s gonna fit in the car anyway, big guy.” Prompto leaned on the back two legs of the chair he’d dragged in from one of the bedrooms and looked skyward, as though the answers might be inscribed conveniently on the ceiling, before slamming the chair back down to all fours and smiling mischievously. “Maybe if Gladio walks –”

“Not gonna happen, short stuff,” Gladio growled with no real heat.

“Transportation shouldn’t be an issue; I’ve an airship hidden just outside the city and it’s outfitted with more than enough cargo space to hold the Regalia. We should be able to make Cartanica within a week’s time considering we limit our stops by necessity,” Ignis offered up casually.

Noct threw a wide-eyed glance at his friend. “You know how to fly one of those things?”

“Man, is there anything you can’t do?” Prompto joined in, leaning over his side of the low table.

“Yeah, piloting airships, cooking like a gourmet, shooting magic out of your bare hands — got any other hidden talents you wanna share with the class?” Gladio ticked off the fingers of his left hand.

“The ability to see into the future perhaps,” Ravus chimed in sarcastically.

“Hardly anything worth mention, I assure you,” Ignis attempted to shut down the line of questioning, but not before he spotted a dangerous glint in his sister’s eyes.

Seemingly never one to pass up a chance at teasing her younger brother, Lunafreya’s smile turned mischievous. “Please, don’t let my brother’s humility deceive you. He’s omitted quite the auspicious modeling career. He’s commonly featured in such notable magazines as _People of Eos_. He even holds the honor of being named Eos’ Most Photogenic.”

Ignis did not whine exactly; he’d been broken of the ineloquent habit long before the Empire ever darkened their door, but he struggled with the urge to draw out the well-practiced syllables of his sister’s beloved nickname none the less. “Luna, really, I’m certain no one cares for the outrageous prattlings of such publications at a time like this.”

“Dude, are you kidding! Someday I’m gonna land one of my photos on the cover of that baby,” Prompto crowed over Noct and Gladio’s snickering.

“You’re a photographer?” Ignis’ tone was carefully vacant of inflection.

Oblivious to Ignis’ less than pleased reaction to the revelation, Prompto summoned his camera with barely a thought and started looking around the suite through the viewfinder. “Oh yeah, not professional or anything, but I do grab some assignments every now again from Vyv.”

“Dorden, the Meteor Publishing President…,” Ignis muttered lowly.

“As amusing as it would be to schedule a photoshoot between the two of you, I believe we’ve more pressing concerns,” Ravus cut in before they could be further sidetracked.

“Right.” Ignis was more grateful for the interruption than he hoped he let on. To think he was going to be traveling with a bloody photographer all the way to Gralea. Would fate ever run short of cruelties? “If the arrangement is agreeable, I’d advise making Tenebrae our second destination. There are matters I wish to attend to and it would behoove us to restock our supplies at the manor. We won’t find much in way of civilization at Cartanica.”

“Yeah, sure, sounds good to me.” Though he attempted to sound apathetic, it was easy to see Noct was more than pleased by the suggestion. After all this time maybe he could still keep his old promise to run through the sylleblossoms with Luna.

“Just don’t take too long with whatever business you’re takin’ care of. We need to book it to Gralea as soon as possible,” Gladio huffed.

“It’s not quite so urgent that we can’t take a brief reprieve once we reach Fenstala Manor. A bit of rest might be in order by that point.” Ravus gave a meaningful glance toward where Noct and Lunafreya were nearly slumped in their chairs, though Noct more obviously than Luna. They were clearly still drained from their bout with Leviathan. “Regardless, it’s something we’ll be able to afford with the time conserved by the use of Imperial airship.”

Gladio grumbled out something under his breath about the advisor going soft but said no more on the matter.

“Before we reach Gralea we must first go through the Ghorovas Rift,” Lunafreya interjected, the earlier humor gone from her disposition.

“Wait, isn’t that where the Empire –?” Prompto cut himself off, unsure.

“You got it, resting place of Shiva herself.” Gladio frowned. The rumors of what the Empire had done in that place weren’t pretty.

“The corpse is said to have altered the climate of the entire region, the terrain rendered white with unceasing snow and ice; the Rift is a veritable no man’s land,” Ravus supplied.

“It is where the covenant of the Frostbearer is to be bestowed.” Luna turned to Noctis who nodded back solemnly.

Gladio shrugged. “Welp, no arguing with the oracle, I guess.”

“R-right, should be a piece of cake.” Prompto attempted a brave face.

Noct smiled at his friends. “We’ll do it together, no sweat.”

Ignis cleared his throat to garner the attention of the group. “There is one last thing. I want to make certain everyone here is prepared for what lies ahead should we continue to Zegnautus Keep. Ardyn will assuredly be waiting.”

Noct glared down at the table. “Yeah, well, I’ve got a bone to pick with that guy.”

“Same goes for all of us. We want a piece of that creep after what he pulled at the altar,” Gladio snarled.

“And regardless of our personal vendettas, we cannot allow the current state of affairs to stand. The Empire must pay for its transgressions.” Ravus narrowed his eyes, trying to get a read on the younger man’s intentions for bringing up the chancellor.

“In that case, I wish to discuss with you all the events that took place during our little scuffle after the trial,” Ignis pressed on, ignoring the strained atmosphere that descended upon the room alongside the unpleasant topic. “When you saw me as Ardyn did I say anything?”

Prompto frowned at the question. “What do you mean?”

“What were the words I spoke to you? Was it my voice or the chancellor’s egging you on? It is imperative that you tell me precisely what you heard; the most minute detail could be crucial,” Ignis persisted.

“You know, it was actually pretty bizarre. Kept tryin’ to talk us down.” Prompto rubbed at his bare arms, trying to banish the goosebumps springing up at the mere mention of the incident.

“He said I am not your enemy,” Gladio recited after a moment of thought.

“We heard Ardyn’s voice, but it lacked his usual inflection and pattern of speech.” Ravus met Ignis’ eyes. “You’re hoping to find a way to see past his illusions.”

“Indeed. On the journey ahead we will not be able to trust in our own eyes. Ardyn can disguise himself as anyone and make any of us appear to the likeness of his choosing. There’s a possibility, however, that we may still be able to communicate even while we are under his influence. I am not your enemy; those were my words exactly before our altercation began. This means we’ve a chance.”

“Smart, Iggy,” Noct praised, losing some of the tension that had been building since the chancellor was brought up.

“Make no mistake, Ardyn has far more inhuman abilities at his disposal than altering our perceptions. I can’t profess to understand everything he is capable of, but he can’t be killed by normal means. It’s best to proceed with caution. He will come for us. Don’t let your guard down,” Ignis warned.

“This is concerning news; we’ll have to devise some precautions. Is there anything else you’ve been able to glean of his goals?” Ravus looked toward Ignis. The younger Fleuret gave a subtle glance to his sister. It was only out of the corner of his eye, but Ravus was certain he witnessed Lady Lunafreya give a small shake of her head. _Peculiar._

In the next moment Ignis’ attention was back on the advisor. “I’m afraid Ardyn’s endgame is still very much a mystery.”

“Who cares, he’s not going to be a problem much longer if I have anything to say about it.” Noct’s eyes wandered over to Lunafreya’s recently healed side.

“Then we’d best get some rest. A difficult undertaking awaits us tomorrow.” Ravus reasoned, putting aside his suspicions for the moment and hoping to preempt any attempts at a King’s Knight all-nighter.

Noct huffed but agreed all the same. “Yeah, yeah. Can’t wait to get started.”

  
  


* * *

  
  


While Ignis had been working on dinner, Gladio and Prompto volunteered to go hunt up the necessary supplies for the next leg of their journey. Noctis had reluctantly deigned to tag along for one reason and one reason only: the Fleurets were in dire need of new disguises. Both of their outfits had been torn and bloodied beyond repair during the battle with Leviathan. Ignis still had possession of his uniform and armor but neither were exactly subtle so Noctis had joined his retainers on their errand to help search for less ostentatious clothing, not quite trusting Gladio or Prompto to select something to fit Luna and Ignis’ tastes.

The morning of their departure Noctis had left separate bundles on each of the siblings’ beds – or rather the couch right outside Luna’s attached bedroom in Ignis’ case. The younger Fleuret had found it difficult not to hover at his sister’s side throughout her recovery. Perhaps it was foolish and a tad overbearing, but after seeing her so weak at the altar and witnessing the effects the covenants had wreaked on her body, Ignis was hard pressed not to worry over her.

A brief distraction was not entirely unwelcome. Gathering up the parcel, Ignis moved to the washroom to investigate its contents. Inside he found a simple white dress shirt. A brief inspection revealed the material to be of high quality and he quickly slipped the light shirt over his shoulders, efficiently fastening the brushed silver buttons and neatly rolling the sleeves up to just above his elbows. Next he donned a black waist coat adorned with near invisible, dark purple pinstripes down the front of the garment, along with a tiny white fox stitched into the sturdy fabric over where one would ordinarily find the left breast pocket. He then pulled out two brown leather belts that came with an attached holster for his daggers. Good for quick and easy access he supposed, and secured them around his hips over new dark grey trousers. It was not a proper suit but Noctis had certainly considered his preferences. Thankfully he’d managed to salvage the boots and sheath for his lance from his old gear, though he’d have to retrieve a spare weapon once he returned to the ship. A moment to comb his hair to his usual standards and Ignis was nearly ready to disembark.

There was just one more matter to which he wished to attend. He left the ensuite bathroom with intentions of speaking with Luna. They would be setting out shortly and moments of privacy were about to become rather scarce. However, it seemed he was not the only one hoping to have an audience with the oracle. Noct was hanging back in the foyer near her doorway almost shyly. “Oh, hey.”

Feeling the beginnings of a smirk taking up residence on his lips, Ignis inclined his head in acknowledgment of the lackluster greeting. “Hoping for someone else, Noct?”

Noctis glared at his old friend but his features reddened with embarrassment all the same. “Don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Of course, my mistake.” Ignis would have enjoyed teasing the younger man further but his sister chose that moment to crack open her door.

Luna left the bedroom practically glowing in her new travel garb. Catching Noct’s quiet shifting, Ignis fought not to smile in full at the nervous display. After all, Noct had done a splendid job both for Luna’s and his own apparel. While not something Ignis himself would have ever selected for her, he had to admit Luna didn’t exactly enjoy dressing overly formal for occasions that did not warrant it. And if the pleased smile on her face was any indication, she was quite taken with her new, practical jeans and low heeled boots as opposed to her customary white dress and pumps. The accompanying top was long and flowing, cinched at an empire waist and embellished with a subtle ombre effect beginning at the base of the shirt in a sylleblossom blue and fading out to white about midway to her waist. The top was layered with a short, taupe jacket. The durable fabric had an attractive metallic shimmer to it and its sleeves were cuffed at the three quarter length. The style was quite becoming on her.

“Well, how do I look?” Luna’s excitement was rather catching, especially when her expression nearly rivaled Noct’s own in bashfulness.

“You-you look great.” Noct was looking anywhere but at Luna, having found the floor suddenly very fascinating, and therefore missed the slight dusting of pink over Luna’s own features.

Deciding to have mercy on the oracle and king – and feeling just the slightest bit a third wheel – Ignis assured Luna that she looked immaculate as always and graciously excused himself from the hallway.

He stumbled onto the pair of Gladiolus and Prompto in the sitting area finishing up their packing and storing their luggage away into the armiger, something Ignis could certainly get used to. The logistical value alone for such a convenient pocket space were beyond measure.

“So, what are the lovebirds up to?” Gladiolus looked up from where he’d just made one of their duffle bags disappear into glittering blue sparks.

“I’d say right about now they must be staring longingly into each other’s eyes. Though, I suppose I could be mistaken. Hard to say if Noct will have removed his eyes from his shoes by this point,” Ignis reported as he fought the urge to hunt up a busying task for his hands and moved to watch them work.

Prompto snickered into his fist, trying not to let the sound carry too far. “Oh my gosh! Tell me we’re never letting Noct live this down?”

Gladio smirked. “That’s Prince Charmless for you, smooth as they come.”

“Yeah, poor Lady Lunafreya.” Prompto sighed with faux pity.

“Come now, I don’t believe he’s performing quite so poorly,” Ignis spoke with a smile in his voice but decided not to prolong his friend’s torment, out of earshot or otherwise.

Ravus joined them next, having been primed to depart for at least the last half hour. He frowned when he noted Noct’s absence from the room. “Please tell me His Highness is at least awake by now.”

Ignis was learning quickly that Ravus, along with being the party’s tactician, was also largely responsible for any timely mobilization of the group. “No need for concern, he’s merely having a word with Lunafreya. They both should be joining us shortly.”

No sooner had Ignis spoken then Noct and Luna walked around the corner, both stopping short when they noticed they held the entire room’s attention. Noct narrowed his eyes at his friends, easily picking up on the evidence that they had been teasing him. “What?”

Ravus shook his head a touch ruefully, but didn’t allow the downward spiral of nonsense to continue. “If you’re quite ready, it’s time we set off.”

“Then by all means, let’s get this show on the road.” Noct swung his hand out in a somewhat lackadaisical sweeping gesture toward the door and with that they left the crumbling city of Altissia behind them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For anyone curious, I’m planning on releasing this story in arcs. The fist of which will span the entire journey up to Gralea. Until then updates should be weekly. Thanks for reading and if you enjoyed the chapter I’d love to hear from you in the comment section! Hope you all are staying safe out there and enjoying your weekend!


	2. Going Down

_**Cartanica Outpost** _

  
  


Nearly a week later found the party convening in a greasy, rundown dining car parked just outside the mine at the Cartanica station after a lengthy hike up from the ravine Ignis had chosen for concealing the airship. The game plan was to grab a quick bite before heading down a somewhat questionable looking elevator to search for the royal tomb.

Prompto was attempting to resign himself to existing in the tiny sliver of space not occupied by Gladio’s bulk on their side of the slim booth. He couldn’t help but glance longingly over the table at the empty space next to Noct – Ravus had gone to speak with one of the service attendants and was probably off being super responsible and all that jazz. Across the car, Ignis was keeping a close eye on Lady Lunafreya, or Luna as she’d politely requested they call her, having claimed the only other available table. The hike seemed to have taken a lot out of the reserved oracle and Prompto spared a moment of curiosity to wonder where her dog had wandered off to. Wherever Umbra was, he had probably been smart enough to skedaddle before all the _fun_ started.

Prompto still didn’t really get why they couldn’t have conveniently landed right in the mine. But when he’d asked Ignis just that, he’d gotten an overly detailed explanation of how the dense fog made it too dangerous to attempt, that such an action would undoubtedly get them spotted by any Imperials in the train station and so forth. When he’d brought it up again, complaining about the long trek he’d just known was coming, Ignis had informed him he was welcome to jump – _rude!_

Resisting the urge to squirm, Prompto hunted for a decent distraction from how close Gladio was crammed against his side. Peeking down at the laminated menu proved not to be a good idea. The blond grimaced. “Man, can’t we get Ignis to make us something instead; this stuff looks gross.”

“Guy’s been around all of a week and you’re already spoiled,” Gladio snarked, but Prompto noticed he wasn’t looking too pleased with their dining options either.

“But he likes it – I think.” Prompto threw one hand up helplessly. “Noct?”

“Who knows?” Noct wasn’t really what you’d call _invested_ in the conversation, already slumped over against the wall of the cab and halfway into a doze.

Ravus chose that moment to rematerialize from wherever he’d disappeared to and reclaim his seat before casting a disapproving look down at the clear tabletop. He regarded the other three men with mild exasperation. “You haven’t ordered yet?”

“Dude, have you seen the menu? The food here is cringe worthy,” Prompto complained.

Ravus was unimpressed by the argument as was typical. “I suppose you’re more than free to go without. Regardless, we’ll be entering the mine within the hour.”

“What about Luna and Iggy?” Noctis roused himself from his near nap and sat further up in the booth.

Ravus glanced toward the aforementioned pair. “I have spoken with the Fleurets; last I heard Ignis was still attempting to convince Lady Lunafreya to remain behind without much success.”

Noct narrowed his eyes in confusion. “How come?”

Gladio rolled his eyes. “Think about it, Princess. She wasn’t doing too hot on the way up here.”

Ravus nodded. “She’s still recovering from the covenants, not to mention her injuries.”

“Oh, you think one of us should stay with her, I mean just in case?” Prompto looked over at the table where the Tenebraens were being served trays covered in sparse helpings of peas, fried nuggets of what had likely once been considered cockatrice meat, a pale glob of maybe mashed potatoes and a cookie. There was also a cup of unidentifiable white liquid (gravy or perhaps milk, from this distance, hard to say).

“Like Iggy would let anyone else stay with her but him.” Noctis smirked, though the mirth didn’t quite reach his eyes. The reminder of Lunafreya’s less than stellar health was obviously a bit of a bummer. Still, Noct was right about one thing, Ignis’ protective side was very real, very terrifying and very much not to be trifled with as far as Prompto was concerned.

“Perhaps.” Ravus picked up the menu to frown down at the offered fare. “We’d do well to abide by their verdict. No sense in getting dragged into a sibling’s quarrel.”

They all met outside the elevator meant to take them down to the quarry after suffering through a meal that was – as Prompto suspected – less than appetizing. At least the quick break appeared to do something for Lady Lunafreya. She looked less drained and eager to get going, even though they were just headed down into some dark, spooky mine. Ignis stood behind his sister regarding her with a concerned frown. “You’re sure you won’t be more comfortable at the station?”

Lunafreya’s mouth twitched, like she was physically holding back a reaction of some sort. “Yes, I’m quite certain I can manage.”

Noct shuffled closer from where he’s just been on the phone with Cor. “Don’t strain yourself. It’s just another royal arm, we can always take care of it ourselves.”

Recognizing Noct’s attempt at giving Luna another out for what it was, Prompto threw his arm over his buddy’s shoulders. “Yeah, don’t worry, Your Ladyship! We can totally handle it. We’ve been through all kinds of creepy tombs and dungeons before.”

“Pipsqueak’s right, we got this.” Gladio crossed his bare arms, backing up the younger men while Ravus agreed with a simple nod.

Lunafreya frowned, a stubborn spark glinting in her eyes. “Be that as it may, I do not wish to remain behind. I am capable for the task, I assure you.”

Ignis released the barest of sighs before turning toward the elevator. “As you wish, I only ask that you keep the recklessness to a minimum.”

Prompto was pretty sure it was a rare sight to witness the oracle so close to rolling her eyes.

Ravus reached out and called the elevator before things could get any more awkward. “Very well, let’s make our descent.”

  
  


* * *

  
  


Progress wasn’t great. The path became more treacherous the further in they went, with visibility swiftly dropping off into pea soup territory. Gladio would’ve liked to push the group to show a little more hustle, but it was practically a pipe dream with the way Lady Lunafreya seemed to be flagging coupled with Ignis’ hovering and Noct alternating between bashfully checking up on Lunafreya to practically throwing himself at anything that breathed with a brash recklessness Gladio hadn’t witnessed in years. All of them were hard-pressed to keep the idiot out of trouble. It was getting downright ridiculous even before Gladio caught Prompto pulling out his camera, as if there was something actually worth photographing in all this muck.

But the stir of the shutter had a certain Fleuret freezing up where he stood, body going nearly rigid – which was a little odd. For the most part, Ignis presented a fairly pleasant and relaxed attitude around them, even going as far as to memorize some of their favorite dishes for when he took charge of their barely used camp stove. For whatever reason the sight of Prompto twisting his camera around for a new angle seemed to dry up some of that good humored demeanor. Ignis cut his eyes over to the blond, seemingly unwilling to turn and face the device directly. “What, if I may ask, do you think you’re doing?”

Prompto hesitated in decompressing the shutter release. “Um, taking a picture?”

While Gladio might’ve figured such a thing an absolute waste of time in a gloomy place like this, he was a little taken aback when all Ignis managed at the answer was to _glower_ at a nondescript puddle ahead along with a clipped, “I see.” And was that a muscle spasming in his jaw?

By contrast, Lady Lunafreya seemed to perk up at the idea, though she may have just been thankful for the distraction from her state of health. They were all learning fast that the oracle didn’t really appreciate her limitations being pointed out.

The lady brushed back sweaty bangs that had stuck to her forehead in the oppressive humidity before smiling toward Prompto. “I think it sounds like a lovely idea. Won’t you smile with me, brother?”

The effect on Ignis was simultaneous, and judging by the devious glint in her eyes, Luafreya knew what she was doing. While he didn’t completely drop his obvious hostility for the camera, Ignis did move to stand closer to his sister and attempted not to scowl. “If I must.”

Poor guy, the oracle had his number.

Meanwhile, Prompto was ecstatic for the support. From the looks of things, he’d found an ally in corralling them all into group photos. Gladio couldn’t exactly say he was thrilled about the development, but seeing the former high commander fret over his sister, trying to accommodate her smallest whim… in a way he gets it. If Iris had gotten mixed up in any part of this mess he would’ve been hard pressed not to make a fool of himself too.

It was easy to see that Ignis and Lunafreya cared deeply for one another in spite of the rumors and the distance the Empire must’ve put between them. The way they doted on and teased one another was undeniably sibling in nature. Gladio knew he wasn’t the most sensitive of guys, but even he could see the longing to reconnect after everything that had happened. It’s just tough luck they had to go about it in a swampy mine of all places.

But despite the crummy conditions, everyone seemed to be in relatively high spirits. Morale had been on the rise since they made it out of Altissia – something they couldn’t have done soon enough in Gladio's humble opinion. They’d come too close to taking some costly losses and he couldn’t help but keenly feel the phantom sting of those close calls. It was on him to take the heavy hits after all, but lately they all seemed to sail right past him. On top of that, now he not only had to worry about covering one moody prince’s ass but the entirety of the surviving Tenebraen royalty to boot, with one unreasonably powerful psychopath out to get them all.

Yeah, nobody said this was gonna be easy.

The whole point of his little side trip down to face the Blademaster had been to prepare for this, to strengthen his mind, body and soul for the task ahead – except, Gladio didn’t feel prepared. It felt more like what time they had left was just slipping through his fingers. And as eager as Noct seemed for a fight, Gladio couldn’t help but notice the Ring of the Lucci’s absence on his finger. Gladio tried not to think about that too much. He had to believe Noct would be ready when the time came, even if Gladio was pretty sure that time was already here. Soon they’d be knocking on the Empire’s doorstep and they had better all be ready.

Prompto cut through Gladio’s dark musing with a shrill whistle. “Holy cannolis, that’s big!”

The kid wasn’t wrong. Despite their dragging pace and Noct’s wildly reckless combat, they’d managed to reach the positively gargantuan tree springing up from the center of the quarry and supporting most of the mining machinery. It’s also where they hit their first roadblock – literally. “They parked here?”

Shirting around the sizable tree toward the deepest depths of the mine led them straight into a large piece of equipment entrenched in their path.

“Wish we could give them a ticket.” Prompto frowned up at the half buried hunch of metal. Even he would be hard pressed to squeeze his way through the nearly nonexistent gaps between bark and machinery.

“If we get its motor running, perhaps we can move it out of the way,” Ravus, as usual, offered a more sensible solution.

Looking around the deserted dig site, Prompto scratched at his leather wristband. “There’s got to be an on button around here somewhere.”

Ignis frowned, focusing his eyes back the way they’d come. “We passed a control panel some ways back. Perhaps it’s still operational.”

“Might as well go and see.” Noct led their harried little procession back up the muddy slope to the control panel, but on arrival it became obvious the thing was outta juice.

Prompto read from a faded sign mounted on the wall, “Let’s see here, in case of power failure use backup generators. There’s a key in the shed.”

“Great, where are we supposed to find that?” The idea of blundering around for hours hunting down some random shed didn’t exactly appeal to Gladio.

“Perhaps we should try searching from higher ground,” Ignis suggested.

“That might expedite the task, though I’m doubtful we’ll be able to find much of anything through this blasted fog,” Ravus pointed out and Gladio couldn’t help but want to agree. The moisture in the air was so dense that seeing more than five feet ahead of yourself was an Astral given miracle.

“True enough, but it shouldn’t be a problem for my augmented vision.” They all had to pause at the reminder of Ignis’ crazy MT eyes. Guess it made sense they were good for more than being straight up unnerving. Still, it was easy to forget about them. Ignis had mostly been keeping them concealed beneath dark shades – shades the man now removed. Two dots of iridescent green pierced the dark miasma like miniature stars.

Glancing away from the unnatural eyes and up at the massive tree roots growing hundreds of feet above their heads, Noctis sighed. “Might as well start climbing.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Moar camera shenanigans! XD  
> There's just something I really enjoy about Ignis and Luna being siblings in this. Anyway, hoped you enjoyed and if so I'd love to hear from you in the comments. Please stay safe out there, guys!


	3. Reminiscing Hearts

With the advantage of a little altitude and Ignis’ eyes it turned out they were indeed able to locate the shed. After zeroing in on their target, Ignis was even able to point out the dilapidated structure to be seen by their own, unenhanced vision.

Still, by the time they’d recovered the key for the generators it was already growing late; a time made all the more dangerous by their current surroundings. Accommodations for the night would need to be decided on as soon as current shenanigans came to a close.

Ravus watched on stoically, reclined against an oversized boulder rising up from the inescapable slough that covered nearly the entirety of the dismal landscape and valiantly attempted to avoid dwelling on the state of his soaked footwear as Prompto finally harassed Ignis into posing alongside Noct. Apparently the blond was determined to document the two royals endeavoring toward a common goal despite Fleuret’s admittedly extreme aversion to being immortalized on digital film: one of the former high commander’s more bizarre quirks to be sure. But one Prompto seemed to have taken on as a personal challenge to overcome. It was a battle of wills now.

Normally, Ravus wouldn’t pay such antics any mind beyond their base effects on the group’s morale, however, he couldn’t help but notice Noct’s growing amusement and decided the incident may be worth noting after all.

Pulling out the unassuming black notebook from its dry resting place, safe in the inner right breast pocket of his leather jacket, Ravus considered the positive influence the Fleuret siblings seemed to be encouraging in his charge. Though his misguided, chivalrous behavior on the battlefield may soon prove the advisor’s end, Noct was happier now than Ravus had seen him in quite some time. The young man was far easier to wake in the mornings and keep on task, more focused and engaged with the people around him. Even his smiles came more freely.

“Would it be amenable if I were to join you?”

Ravus glanced up from his neat shorthand to find one of said influences standing before him now, hands folded primly and bright blue eyes belying her ever present fatigue. Lady Lunafreya must have somehow escaped Prompto’s mania without notice and now sought refuge from which she could peacefully observe the display. “It bothers me not, rest here if you wish.”

Lunafreya gratefully eased her back against the slanted plane of stone at his side. “I must admit, you did not strike me as a scribe.”

Before Ravus had the chance to reply, Gladio called out from his post closer to the impromptu photoshoot, “Oh yeah, he’s always filling up that little diary of his.”

“Must be writing about my exceptional photography skills,” Prompto chimed in between shots.

Ravus scoffed as he snapped the small notebook shut. “Don’t be asinine.”

He turned to actually address Lunafreya’s original statement, but on facing the lady he witnessed the color dramatically drained from her pale visage. Ravus narrowed his eyes, assessing. Had she somehow been injured despite the near smothering attentions of both Noctis and her brother? “Are you –”

Ravus never got to finish his question as the oracle struck him across the left side of his face – an impressive feat considering their severe height difference. The advisor struggled to compose an appropriate response, managing something along the lines of a strangled “What?” The blow hadn’t been particularly damaging, at least not beyond his bruised pride, and confounded him more than anything else.

But the sound of skin on skin had reeled in the attention of the entire group. Thankfully, before the eerily protective look could more than surface on the younger Fleuret’s features, Lunafreya began pouring out apologies in a nervous rush, a flush coloring her skin all the way up to the tips of her ears. “Oh, please forgive me! I’m so sorry, it’s just – a spider, it – it was rather large and crawling up your face. I do apologize.”

Prompto, of course, wasted no time in turning his lens toward the latest spectacle. “Dude, smacked by the oracle herself! What an honor.”

Ravus squinted against the subsequent flash. “Prompto, if you do not wish for me to assist Fleuret in the dismantlement of your camera, you will delete that image this instant.”

The threat only encouraged another round of apologies from Lunafreya and uproarious laughter from both Noct and Gladio. Even Ignis seemed to be subtly amused, the smug prick.

Ravus was quite certain that by the end of this journey the insistent twitch afflicting his left eye would become quite permanent. He strove to keep in mind that he’d worked hard for this position – ridiculously so, in fact – and all that effort would be wasted should he murder his charge, his fellow retainers or any of the allied Tenebraen royalty. The mantra wasn’t especially helpful, but when Prompto suffered a bout of clumsiness up ahead and squawked in panic due to nearly dropping his camera below the murk, Ravus felt marginally better.

  
  


* * *

  
  


They were fortunate to locate a haven near the shed. With the late hour it was agreed that they take the opportunity to set up camp and not tempt the dangers of the mine after dark.

After much coaxing, Lunafreya begrudgingly relented, resting in one of the foldout chairs by the fire while the Lucians left camp to scout ahead for the generators they’d need to activate in order to move the mining equipment. Mollified, Ignis began preparations for a warm and filling pasta dish. The day had been taxing on them all, but Noct and Luna in particular would be in need of a hearty meal conducive to replenishing their magic reserves.

With little else in way of distraction, Luna found her eyes drawn to her brother and his ministrations over the portable stove as he set noodles to boil before moving to sear minced garula meat. It was a recipe she was familiar with, yet it was clear her brother’s competency had only grown in the past years. The sight filled her with a fond sense of nostalgia. “Do you recall our first soiree in the kitchen?”

“Ah, how could I forget? As I remember it, we’d sequestered one of Maria’s handwritten recipes for the task.” In spite of his mounting anticipation to speak with Lunafreya alone, Ignis felt his lips quirk up in amusement at the memory. At the time he’d been hard pressed to translate their old caretaker’s leaning scrawl – not to mention the rather liberal use of cooking terminology. “And I believe you’d become rather involved in decorating the counter with flour and sugar.”

“Yes, well, some of us weren’t quite able to reach the counter top as of yet.” Luna hardly attempted to contain her teasing smile, the expression lit her features aglow with a playful revelry rarely seen nowadays. How Ignis had missed it.

The younger Fleuret gave an ungentlemanly snort at the reminder of his bygone need of a step stool. “Come now, I’d experience a growth spurt worthy of note soon enough.”

“Yes, I often wonder where the little brother I used to carry to bed after finding him nodding off in the library has wandered off to.” Luna hummed, lost to memories of happier times. “It’s a shame the cookies had been unsalvageable.”

“Considering the results, it was most certainly for the best.” The experience really had been one disaster after the other, from losing eggshell shards in the batter to being unable to separate the charred dough from the pan. Ignis smiled over his shoulder. “The cleanup took hours.”

“We did make quite the mess.” Luna laughed, the sound cheerful and light, recalling their governess’ exasperation. “Maria scolded us so.”

“Yes, though she did allow us to observe on occasion after the burnt cookie incident.” Ignis in particular had taken quite a fascination with the lessons. It was knowledge that became quite useful down the road.

“That was quite the mishap. It’s hard to believe how far you’ve come in regards to the culinary arts. One could hardly imagine such a humble start.” Luna smiled wistfully.

“Indeed. I shutter to think what Noct and the others might do with the information. Perhaps we best not share this particular anecdote.” Luna’s eyes suddenly darkened with regret and it took Ignis but a moment to pinpoint the likely cause. It turned into the segue he’d been looking for. The pleasant atmosphere brought about by their shared reminiscing of childhood misadventures had been shattered; there was no point in trying to preserve what had already been lost. “I don’t like keeping the truth from him.”

Luna let out a heavy sigh. “Ignis, we’ve spoken about this –”

“And I’ve held my silence at your request.” Ignis turned away from the stove and faced his sister head on. “Luna, please. You know the prophecy, heard my visions – Noct’s fate is clear. How long do you intend for us to carry on leaving him in the dark?”

The accusation seemed to drain the weariness right out of Luna’s too thin frame as she took on a stern countenance that to this day Ignis still loathed to see turned against him. “Such a course of action would only burden him unnecessarily. His destiny shall be made known to him when the time is right, any sooner would be a cruelty.”

“You would have him ignorant till the hour is upon us? You call knowing a cruelty but I cannot see how ignorance could possibly be considered a comfort.” Ignis rarely challenged his sister, in affairs of the Astrals or otherwise, but this was one matter in which he could not yield. “Noctis is strong. He doesn’t require your protection in the ways you believe.”

Luna abruptly stood from her chair. “Is it truly so wrong to want to take this from him?”

When Ignis did not have an immediate answer for her she pressed on, her words weighted with stubborn conviction. “There is happiness and joy still to be had. To tell him now would cast an ill light over what time he has left. Please understand, this is not a calling that can be lifted from his shoulders, but it is one I can bear, if only a brief while longer. There is so little I can do for him.”

Ignis’ frown was a hard line across his face. “For the time being, I will forestall judgment on the matter.”

He made no promises as for how long.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun tidbit about the little spider encounter in this chapter: it’s actually based off a life experience of mine and, well, let’s just say I was Ravus. XD
> 
> Anyway, hope your day is going great and if you liked the chapter I'd love to hear from you in the comments! :D


	4. Dredging Depths

Ignis sat at one of the chairs positioned in an uneven semicircle around waning flames and observed the sunrise. Even in the early morning hours the surrounding quagmire was hauntingly eerie, with little light managing to pierce through the persistent fog and ward off the damp chill in the air.

A fitting omen for the road ahead, Ignis reflected as an unpleasant flurry tousled his hair and sent goosebumps sprouting along his exposed skin.

A warm cup of Ebony would have been marvelous right about now. Unfortunately, though the havens were shielded from all manner of daemonic threats, Noct and his fellows were in the rather sensible practice of storing their groceries within the armiger while the party rested to avoid attracting unwanted attention during the night. One of them would have to retrieve the supplies before Ebony or any sort of breakfast could be had, so Ignis sat back and resigned himself to being patient.

At any rate, a bit of solitude was to be appreciated. After his heated discussion with Luna yesterday things had been strained in their small camp. Though none made mention of it, the others had undoubtedly picked up on the underlying tension between Luna and himself. Ignis imagined it was a tad difficult to miss. The atmosphere had become stifling once they’d all finished an inordinately reserved dinner, as many an attempt at conversation failed to take hold before everyone finally agreed to retire for the evening. Had he entertained the idea of all awkwardness dissipating by simply sleeping in a separate tent from Luna, Ignis would have been a fool. Lying prone in close quarters with Noct and his retainers – where he could practically feel the unasked questions forming on their tongues – had only drug out the subdued ambiance. Sleep had been particularly elusive.

Soon he feared he’d have no choice but to go against Luna’s wishes.

There came a murmur of movement from within the larger tent and it was with little surprise that Ignis gazed up to find Gladio the first to rise and join him. Over the past week the man had proved to be a consistent early riser. “Ah, good morning.”

Gladio finished resecuring the tent flap before he stepped around the fire to return a quiet greeting, “Hey.”

“About to partake in your morning roundabout?” Ignis guessed the shield’s intentions as keeping up a consistent regime seemed to be an integral part of his routine.

“Yeah, figure the others won’t be stirring for a while. Wanna tag along?”

The invitation was more than unexpected. Thus far Gladio had been nothing if not overly demonstrative of his protectiveness over Noct and the other Lucians. Though such episodes had grown milder more recently, Ignis couldn’t help but wonder what could have brought about the change. Had fighting alongside one another finally won him the Amicitia’s trust, or was this simply another intimidation ploy? Either way, there was little reason to decline the offer. A bout of physical exertion might well prove a much needed boost to his lacking focus this morning. “Certainly.”

“Alright then, if you’re ready let’s head out.” If Gladio was at all surprised by Ignis’ easy acceptance he didn’t show it and the two of them ventured out into the morning haze.

The jaunt was surprisingly peaceful. Gladio kept up a brisk but reasonable pace considering the terrain and didn’t attempt to outpace Ignis once it was clear he could keep up. They didn’t dare venture far from the haven in such a hostile environment and kept their eyes peeled for dangers lurking in the muck. Still, the air between them was not uncompanionable and Ignis found his nerves were not quite so taunt as when they’d first set out. At least, until Gladio shattered what small semblance of contentment Ignis had managed to cobble together for himself by giving direct voice to the heart of the matter. “So, you and the princess have a fight or something?”

Well, Ignis hardly saw benefit in refuting something so obvious. “I’m afraid a clash of wills is not an entirely inaccurate assessment.”

“Uh-huh, must’ve been some _clash of wills._ Gotta say, ’s not often you get to ask the younger sibling if they’re ready to snip the apron strings yet?” At Ignis’ raised eyebrow Gladio smirked. “Let me guess, she’s got something in her head – probably dangerous and all flavors of pigheaded – and she’s being pretty adamant about letting anything contradictory you’ve got to say ‘bout it fly in one ear and out the other?”

Ignis found the assumption rather closer to the mark than expected. He couldn’t help but eye the other man curiously.

Catching the look, Gladio became positively smug. “You ain’t the only one with a sister, you know.”

That, at least, made sense. The Amicitias were responsible for producing heirs to serve as shields of the king. Siblings were likely common. “Not exactly how I would word the matter, but I suppose you aren’t wrong.” Ignis hesitated, but only for a moment. The shield was proving a more discerning ear than he’d given credit for. “Beyond the physical strain she seems determined to force upon herself, we disagree on the timetable for a difficult task, one wherein duty conflicts with what is easy.”

“One of those fights, huh?” Gladio sighed, suddenly seeming less amused by the potential bickering. “Can’t say I’ve never had one of those.”

It’s the sense of understanding in the statement that persuaded Ignis to continue, perhaps more than it should. But the chances of Gladio puzzling out the true issue at hand were slim. “At times, I’m almost inclined to fall to her reasoning; weighing something so superfluous as happiness against time to prepare for what must be done.”

“You think happiness is superfluous?” Gladio actually turned and gave him an incredulous look, the kind Ignis found he’d grown weary of long ago.

“Were we under different circumstances, I would not condemn its preservation. As things stand… I’m less certain.”

“Man, that sucks…” Just when that seemed to be the extent of Gladio’s wisdom to offer, the man appeared to put real thought into the issue. It was some time before he spoke again. “I think I can get what you’re saying. In this life some things aren’t meant to be; we can’t always have what’s normal or ideal – a tradeoff for the roles of service we’ve been called to fill.”

Gladio paused, wetting his lips – a curious gesture, like he was working up to something. “I think it always bugged Noct more than any of us, though. Made it hard for us to get along at first. I’d always been taught that my life was my duty; it was my honor to lay that life down for my king. But Noct, he went to a public school, saw how everyone else lived safe behind the wall – getting to goof off and let someone else figure out the rest of the world’s problems. It was rough on him. Took me a long time to understand. Still would like to bust his chops if he doesn’t hurry up and get that ring on. Guy could really stand to act like an adult sometimes, ya know?”

After grumbling out his last comment, Gladio seemed to lose himself for a moment, staring off into the rolling mist, before adding, “So it’s nice now, that he gets to clown around with Prompto and even be his dorky self with you and Lady Luna. I don’t know if I’ve seen him this happy in a long time.”

An unexpected insight from the Amicitia. Of course, he did not know of the sacrifice expected of Noct, nor the hardships of donning the ring. How could he? Even as the Chosen king Noct would not escape the penalty of accessing the power of the Kings of Old. In fact, one could argue that he would pay the greatest toll of all – and therein lay the problem.

It wasn’t fair. And it hearkened back to Luna’s words from their earlier confrontation. _Was it such a crime to allow Noct to live in ignorant bliss for a few days more?_ That was the question. One Ignis was hard pressed to answer. Had these circumstances befallen him, he would have desired to know immediately. Every moment spent in the dark would’ve been a moment wasted of preparation for an inevitability. But other than bid farewell to his remaining loved ones what preparations could Noct hope to make? And Noctis was certainly very different from him. He seemed to have found some manner of contentment with all his friends by his side. Ignis remembered the lonely boy who’d come to Tenebrae for healing all those years ago. Back then Noct had been so nervous and withdrawn, almost too afraid to meet their eyes.

It was difficult to imagine what Noct would want in this situation; perhaps he’d misjudged his stance. Yes, time was running out, but would there ever be enough, even if Eos stopped spinning on its axis? “I will take your words into consideration.”

  
  


* * *

  
  


They returned to a much more jovial camp than expected. Everyone was up and involved in some activity or another around the revitalized fire. Noct and Prompto appeared to be engaged in some sort of mobile game, thumbs tapping rapidly against their devices. Ravus and Luna were dutifully taking notes on their remaining inventory. It was more than mildly unexpected that Luna looked away from the others and acknowledged their return with a tentative smile. Ignis had not known what he’d been expecting – most likely more of the silent treatment – but Luna’s attempt at normalcy was a more than pleasant change of pace. They still might not see eye to eye on a matter of great importance, but the thought of wasting the few days they may have left with animosity between them made his insides twist.

A perfect distraction from the grim prospect came in the way of supplies set free from the armiger, awaiting his attentions at the portable stove along with a much desired can of Ebony. As Ignis made his way over he noticed a subtle exchange between Noct and Gladio. Briefly, he questioned if their morning run had perhaps been more premeditated than he’d first suspected. Had the others taken pains to circumvent further confrontation between Luna and himself? It was something he planned to puzzle out at a time of greater convenience. For now, Ignis busied himself with popping back the seal of his energizing elixir and sorting out breakfast for everyone. It seemed only seconds after Ignis sat back to let the oatmeal he’d decided on come to a boil that Prompto choked out a noise that very well could’ve come from a dying animal. “Dude, betrayal!”

“Don’t know what you’re talkin’ about.” Noct didn’t even lift his eyes from his screen, still tapping away even as Ignis could hear a faint victory fanfare playing in the background.

“Seriously? You only survived that boss by climbing over my cold, bloody corpse!” Prompto reached over the space between them and shoved weakly against Noct’s shoulder, his efforts only eliciting an amused snort from the king. “Can’t believe you would use me – _me_ – as a human shield. That’s Gladio's department.”

Noct still maintained his straight face in spite of Prompto’s dramatics. “But you did such a good job of it.”

“Dude, are you looting my corpse – you are! Ugh,” Prompto moaned, folding in on himself in his chair and covering his face. The blond made an angry expression at Noct from between his fingers before continuing with faux seriousness, “Mark my words, Noct, I _will_ have my revenge. Maybe not today, maybe not even tomorrow, but _soooooon_. Someday, somehow I will find a way.”

Gladio didn’t even glance over from where he’d started to pack up one of the tents. “Huh, why not just strangle him in his sleep?”

Prompto’s rant grinded to an abrupt halt as he stared blankly at his large friend. “What?”

“By far your best option should you elect to commit treason.” Ravus didn’t miss a beat, still jotting down notes in that little notebook of his.

“Um, are you guys kidding, with these noodle arms?” Prompto held out his arms to either side and gave them a good shake, as if to demonstrate said gangly-ness.

“Actually, the necessary force required to choke someone can be accomplished by anyone capable of opening a can of Ebony.” Ignis punctuated the claim by taking a long sip of his favored caffeinated beverage.

Prompto sat back up and eyed Ignis with a bit more trepidation than he had in the last week. “Well, that’s mildly terrifying. I can’t even tell if you’re being serious!”

Noct scoffed. “Thanks, Iggy. That information oughta really help me sleep at night.”

“As if anybody could buy you having trouble sleeping.” Gladio rolled his eyes.

“It does seem to be what Noct does best,” Luna agreed, managing to keep her tone completely flat and eliciting a noise of wounded pride from Noct.

Ravus nodded behind his notebook. “In a class of his own, I’d say.”

“You guys are hilarious,” Noct deadpanned.

And as he watched them all, animatedly teasing each other over something so small and mundane, Ignis couldn’t help but wonder if Luna’s resolve to allow them to remain in this state wasn’t without merit. It was a fleeting fancy, one he knew better than to succumb to – but for just a little longer, perhaps this way they could remain.

(And if Luna smiled a bit more freely because of it Ignis would not deny the benefit.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, app game shenanigans, totally not based off anything I've done to a friend ever. >.>
> 
> Anyway, next time I promise there will be some action and maybe some feels too. Hope your day is going wonderfully and if you enjoyed the chapter I'd love to here from you in the comments!


	5. Clearing Air

_**Tomb of the Warrior** _

  
  


This Astral forsaken swamp was getting old. Noctis had lost track of the number of times he’d been dunked beneath the slimy film and he kicked away the tentacle that had tripped him up all the more fiercely for it. At this point he was pretty sure he’d forgotten what it even felt like to be warm and dry without damp clothes clinging uncomfortably to his skin. And don’t get him started on the smell.

Big green and ugly roared above him as it tried to snatch him up right off the ground with its oversized mouth. Gladio was attempting to get to him, looking like he might have an actual aneurysm. “Noct!”

“I got it.” Noctis called his engine blade to hand and in one throw he was up and out of the creature’s reach. Another more calculated toss and he was snapping out of his warp trail in the space just above the beast’s wide head – the perfect angle to bring his blade down in a powerful warpstike – or, at least, that had been the plan. Whatever this thing was made of must’ve been pretty tough because his sword barely did more than nick its plant matter hide.

Honestly, he really shouldn’t be surprised anymore. It was a wonder they’d managed to get the generators fired up that morning – one thing that hadn’t gone awry in this awful place. The tomb had to be close now, Noctis could feel it. A monster invested cave under the roots of a gargantuan tree with branches so tall they hid the sun _had_ to be too dramatic of a locale for an ancestor nicknamed _the_ _Warrior_ to pass up. Now if only they could find it.

His hasty landing beside the others gained him a withering look from Ravus. “A little caution, if you please. I’d rather not have the malboro picking you from its teeth.”

“Yeah, well, open to ideas.” Because swords didn’t seem to cut it and if Prompto’s panicked cries were any indication, bullets weren’t doing much better.

“Guys, this isn’t working,” Prompto complained as he stumbled back toward them.

Gritting his teeth in annoyance, Noctis warped in close again, hoping to find a more vulnerable target. He’s forced to abandon the notion almost immediately, the malboro snapping at him for his troubles and a split-second, uncoordinated warp was all that saved him from getting chewed up. But he wasn’t fast enough to escape getting a nose full of the rotting stench emanating from the malboro’s mouth. The whole quarry pretty much stunk, but it had nothing on this thing’s putrid breath. Unhelpfully, Cor’s friendly advice to hold his nose came to mind.

Noctis narrowly avoided an embarrassing fall right in front of Luna just in time for the malboro to start hacking up a foul, green smog all over the place.

“That reeks!” Gladio got the worst of it, unable to backpedal quickly enough to get clear. And based on how quickly his pallor turned downright pasty, the smog probably had at least a few toxins in it.

Noctis was suddenly less annoyed at Ravus for practically brow beating them all into wearing preventative gear against status effects after that one _fun_ experience with confusion a while back. Still, the smog worsened the already poor visibility and smelled horrible enough to be a hindrance all on its own. “Gotta shut that thing’s trap.”

But they were all hesitant to get close while the malboro was filling the air with clouds of poison. And just when things looked like they couldn’t be going much worse Prompto drew attention to another problem. “Someone’s hatching!”

The eggs they’d found clustered under the roots along with some that must have been hidden elsewhere beneath the surface were bursting open, letting lose mini terrors that wasted no time swarming them and trying to sink their teeth into anything they could reach.

Luna skewered one of the hatchlings easily with her trident before spinning around and releasing a blast of some kind of light magic that sent three of the sprouts sprawling. “Perhaps we should consider an alternative strategy.”

“Our weapons don’t have any effect on mamma gruesome over there.” Gladio grunted with effort as he swung his weapon low, taking out a wave of the miniature malboros. “Physical attacks are useless. We can’t fight like this.”

“There’s gotta be something we can do!” Prompto was having a harder time keeping his distance with the hatchlings crowding them and would probably be needing a potion right about now if Ignis hadn’t lodged his lance into the little terror sneaking up on his six.

Ravus snapped his fingers. “Of course, I should have realized sooner. Elemancy could be the key!” Which, okay, Noctis was willing to try it so long as Ravus didn’t plan on electrocuting them all while standing in stagnant swamp water. But before he could summon one of his strongest flasks, Ravus turned instead to Ignis. “Care to lend a hand?”

“Certainly, time we turned up the heat.” And the two of them shared such a vicious smile that it had Noct reconsidering ever letting the two of them work together again.

When the malboro started to spew more of its poisonous gas it got a taste of high-level fire flask mixed with raw magic completely independent of all the safeguards Noctis himself had always been instructed to use. Iggy’s spells were nothing like the chaotic explosions of power created by smashing flasks; they were wielded with deadly precision and control, just like the very man that bent them to his will.

As he watched hungry flames flare out and seize the malboro’s gaping maw in a charring detonation that caused the creature to tremble under its concussive force, Noctis had to wonder if being subjected to the display was partly Ravus getting revenge somehow for all his _showing off_ the previous day. Both he and Gladio had given him hell about it while they’d been scouting out the backup generators yesterday. He supposed he should be grateful they at least didn’t scold him like that in front of Iggy or Luna; that would have been beyond mortifying.

“As suspected.” Ravus looked pleased as their attack left the malboro smoking and almost entirely caked in ash. “Now’s our chance!”

Noctis switched over to a greatsword. “Don’t have to tell me twice. Ready, big guy?”

“Oh yeah.” Gladio leveled his own sword parallel with the ground, making it easy for Noctis to hop on just like they’d practiced. Then in a ridiculous show of upper body strength, Gladio launched him into the air with a powerful swing. The maneuver allowed them to strike simultaneously from above and below, knocking the wind out of the charred monster.

The malboro went down quickly after that, having lost its edge since getting its insides fried. In all honesty, the fight could’ve been drug out a lot longer, but between the six of them the malboro just didn’t stand a chance.

Still, retrieving the royal arm proved to be the easiest part by far. With most of the eggs cleared out finding the tomb didn’t take much time. One fire flask later and the door was visible for all to see.

“I think we found it,” Prompto cheered.

“Just wish they’d found a better place to build it,” Noctis lamented. He really didn’t understand why all the old kings felt the urge to go to such lengths for dramatic effect. He’d be perfectly content just getting planted someplace quiet and peaceful, maybe near a lake or a pond where the fishing was decent. No need for dungeon crawls or murderous wildlife in the vicinity.

Inside they found the Katana of the Warrior and with little fanfare Noctis moved to collect the ancient weapon like always. He noticed both Ignis and Luna visibly flinch when the ephemeral blade moved to pierce his chest and join the armiger. While neither commented on the proceedings, it was clear they were a little uncomfortable with the whole mystical stabbing display. The reactions reminded him of the earliest royal arms they’d collected. The sight had spooked them all at first – it still felt foreboding in a way, like a bad omen.

If nothing else, at least the two of them seemed to be in agreement on something. Ever since their stay at the haven there had been an undefined tension between Ignis and Luna. Neither had spoken a word of a possible cause, of course, but even now Noctis could still detect a precarious distance between them that hadn’t existed the previous day.

Noctis found the whole thing pretty uncomfortable to watch. He’d never seen them not getting along and he really wanted it to be something small and stupid like the nonsense he and Prompto argued over sometimes, and that by tomorrow it’d be like nothing ever happened between them. But he didn’t kid himself, Ignis and Luna were both too practical for that. If they were really upset with each other it was definitely over something more important than some silly mobile game.

It was why he’d convinced Gladio to distract Ignis that morning so he could have a word with Luna. His plan had only half worked since she hadn’t really revealed anything of significance to him, just admitted they were working through a disagreement of sorts and assured him that they would not allow the issue to interfere with their quest. And after Ignis had returned from his impromptu morning hike with Gladio, it was clear he and Luna were doing their best not to appear affected by whatever was going on.

Noctis just hoped that whatever it was would resolve itself soon. It really had been great having Iggy and Luna around, and Ignis not having some inexplicable compulsion to run him through with sharp objects had been pretty nice too.

Yeah, it was a bit more crowded at campsites and maybe a little awkward sometimes after having gotten used to traveling with just three people, but it was also reassuring in a way. He knew Gladio, Prompto and Ravus always had his back – without question – but with Ignis and Luna’s added support their mission just seemed that much more attainable.

As the others filed out of the cramped tomb Noctis noticed Ignis lingering, staring down at the resting place of his ancestor, almost accusingly. And Noctis couldn’t help but wonder if old fears cultivated by years of isolation and nothing but the most discouraging of rumors surrounding his friend might hold the slightest bit of truth. If Ignis blamed Lucis for what happened to Tenebrae, to his family… it was something Noctis never liked to think about. “You good?”

Ignis looked up suddenly, as if a trance had been broken. “Yes, quite.”

Not really convinced, Noctis watched his friend closely in the darkness of the stone crypt. “You sure, we can always take a break...”

“No need. I think I’ve held us up long enough. Let’s move on, lest we lose what light we have left.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugh. If I never have to write about trudging through a swamp again it'll be too soon. XD  
> Next time the gang is bound for toward Tenebrae.


	6. Running High

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And the action continues.

_**Airship bound for Tenebrae** _

  
  


Ignis jumped down from the catwalk leading up to the cockpit, a grim expression marring his features. A quick scan confirmed his passengers were all accounted for in the hangar, not the most ideal space but conditions were hospitable enough. The racks meant for transporting MT units were absent from this particular model and the space had instead been outfitted with tightly packed seats equipped with safety harnesses intended for mobilizing soldiers – not that Noct or the others often saw fit to make use of them. He found them all milling about the open cargo space in various states of readiness and, once again, it was Prompto who first took notice of his approach, looking up from his phone with curiosity in his gaze. It was Noct, however, who addressed his unexpected appearance. “What’s up, Iggy?”

“I’ve picked up outgoing reports of a train bearing refugees to Tenebrae under attack by daemons.”

The information had Gladio pausing in the midst of sharpening one of his overlarge swords. “Daemons, at this hour?”

Prompto double checked the time on his phone. “Yeah, seriously, it should be broad daylight outside.”

“They were likely picked up in the tunnels cutting through the mountains.” And Ignis predicted that soon any amount of darkness would be enough to embolden the creatures.

Ravus appeared to consider the theory. “Curious. Day by day the nights are growing longer. Could this phenomenon be affecting the daemons as well?”

“Such a correlation is hardly impossible, though one I’d hoped we’d not experience so soon.” Luna spoke low and upset, as if her own failings were to blame for the situation at hand.

“It’s not out of the question. the Empire’s already slain half the Six. No wonder the world’s in disarray,” Gladio reasoned.

“Might as well see it for ourselves,” Noct decided. “This train close by?”

“Yeah, maybe we can help.” Prompto practically bounced with enthusiasm at the idea.

“The train is just north of us in the Pagla region,” Ignis supplied. “But I should warn you all, imperial activity is markedly high in the area.”

“Tch, I smell a trap,” Gladio made no qualms about expressing his suspicion.

“Likely a wise assumption,” Ravus agreed. “This may very well be Ardyn’s doing.”

Noct scowled. “Even if it is, it’s not like we can just leave those people to die.”

Ravus released a weary sigh. “Noct, while I can admire your altruism, that is precisely what the chancellor will be counting on.”

“Great, can’t wait to punch his smug face in when we get there,” Noct rebutted impatiently.

“Noct –”

Noct didn’t relent. “After everything he’s done I can’t just stand by and let him keep hurting innocent people and doing whatever the hell he wants!”

“Kid’s got a point,” Gladio broke up the ensuing face off. “These may not be Lucian citizens but we’d be no better than the imperials if we left them for the daemons.”

“I don’t like this,” Ravus stalled. “We’re playing right into the chancellor’s hands.”

“Not like we’ve got much choice,” Noct groused.

“Um, the Empire wouldn’t just, you know, do nothing, right? I mean, if it’s got bases in the area they wouldn’t leave their own people high and dry… would they?”

Prompto’s question ended up directed toward Ignis, the blond pinning him with a tentatively hopeful expression. Ignis was almost sorry to disappoint. “The lives and welfare of the citizenry mean nothing to the emperor or his commanders, and certainly not to the likes of Ardyn. They will not hesitate to bargain with human lives. Trap or no, every soul on that train is in very real danger.”

“Super, guess we better not keep the creep waiting.” Mind made up, Noctis looked to Ignis. “Can you get us there?”

“I’ll alter our course.” Ignis turned back toward the cockpit. He could only hope they were prepared for what lay ahead. Ardyn doubtless had made ready for them.

  
  


* * *

  
  


The forward hanger door opened with an explosive sigh, inviting powerful winds that grasped at anything not fastened down or immobile, endeavoring to drag them all out toward the yawning chasm beyond the parting metal. Lunafreya winced as her hair and clothing were tugged every which direction in the wild tempest, finding new appreciation for her recent change of dress. On occasion dresses really could be an inconvenience.

“There’s the train,” Prompto pointed out just as the doors pulled back enough to reveal the rails below.

“Thing’s covered in daemons.” Gladio frowned down at the small legion of goblins skittering over the cars and the arachne crowding dangerously close to the engine.

Prompto winced.“No kidding, how are we gonna get ‘em all off?”

Noct touched a hand to his ear, activating his comm. The resulting echo in their ears as he spoke beside them was oddly dissonant. “Hey, Iggy, there’s weapons on this thing, right?”

Static buzzed over the channel a beat before Ignis’ voice replied, _“None we could easily utilize without further endangering the passengers, I’m afraid.”_

“Then we’ve gotta get down there. Can you get us closer?” Noct leaned out over the opening, bending his knees and edging toward the end of the loading platform.

“ _I’ll see what I can do.”_

“Right.” Noct dropped his hand and glanced back to his friends. “Catch you guys later.”

“Noct, wait –”

Noct warped down to the roof of the train before Gladio could do more than shout _endearments_ at his blue afterimage. Further flashes of warp magic accompanied with sparks of steel tailed Noct’s progress as he started picking off the goblins.

“Must he always be so rash?” Ravus sighed.

Prompto grinned. “Wouldn’t be Noct otherwise.”

Within but a few moments Ignis maneuvered the airship into position for Gladio, Prompto and Ravus to jump down to the train and join their wayward king. Lunafreya remained on the ship. It was not completely unreasonable that Ignis would have need of assistance in the event everything did not go as planned.

Gripping a hand hold along the wall of the ship tightly as they rose away from the train and the daemon presence below – pulling back to a safer distance – she caught a glimpse of Noct and his friends making quick work of the goblin horde before the hangar was resealed. Afterwards, she had only the snippets of conversation exchanged over the comms. The fighting sounded to be going well mostly, but a fuller picture would be available to her in the cockpit.

The disconnected chatter continued as she climbed the steps to the front of the ship.

“ _A number of the daemons have infiltrated the cars. I’m going in to clear them out.”_

“ _Got it. Speak up if you need some backup.”_

“ _Understood.”_

“ _Hey, watch your six!”_

“ _I see ’em.”_

“ _Dude, nice!”_

Sliding into the red upholstered seat alongside her brother granted her a somewhat limited view of the surrounding airspace; she could just make out the figures of Noct, Prompto and Gladio on the roof of the train ahead. Not the most ideal, but a marked improvement from waiting blind in the hanger.

Ignis spared a moment from keeping track of the ship's multitude of gauges to offer her a brief acknowledgment before a shrill beeping caused them both to look back to the ship’s instruments. Whatever the source, Ignis seemed to comprehend it’s meaning, almost immediately reaching for his comm to fill in the others. _“I’m picking up something on my radar.”_

“ _So the trap has already sprung,”_ Ravus voice came through slightly strained, rising over the panicked clamor of the train’s passengers.

The others must have investigated the sky because Prompto was next to speak over the channel. _“Um, guys, that’s a lot of company!”_

“I see them,” Ignis replied, narrowing his eyes toward several incoming airships. “Seven ships by my count.” Which seemed like a lot more than she was able to pick out amidst the surrounding snow clouds, but then she really shouldn’t be surprised by Ignis’ more comprehensive vision anymore.

“ _Fantastic, how’re we gonna deal with them and all these daemons?”_ Gladio grunted with effort, most likely holding off an attack of some sort.

“ _We’ll think of something, okay,”_ came Noct’s hurried response.

But if Noct and his friends’ attention was split between the airships and the remaining daemons more of the passengers would surely perish. Unacceptable. Luna tapped her earpiece. “No, you must focus on protecting the train. We’ll hold them off.”

“ _Sure you guys’ll be okay?”_ Noct didn’t sound thrilled with her plan but at least he hadn’t protested.

Ignis sent a quick look her way before answering, “We’ll manage. Be cautious. The airships will likely attempt to slip past us to target the train but the daemons are the more immediate threat to the passengers.”

“ _Roger that. We’ll make sure to handle these guys first.”_

As soon as Noct cut off his comm Lunafreya turned to her brother. “About those weapons…”

  
  


* * *

  
  


The turrets on the side hanger doors were outfitted with double barreled canons and thick, metal shielding meant to defend against return fire. Lunafreya slipped behind its protection as she grabbed hold of the controls.

“I’ve taken the starboard side,” She reported in, trusting Ignis to present her with a target.

“ _Here they come,”_ Her brother’s voice announced as the first imperial vessel came into range. She angled the turret toward the approaching ship, mentally reviewing the brief instructions she’d received and aiming for the engines in hopes of disabling the ship quickly. The kickback nearly wrenched lose her grip but she managed to keep a handle on the weapon, watching as the dual spray of red laser rounds instead found its way inside her target’s open hanger. Before she could correct its path the interior of the vessel sparked in a violent explosion. The ship lost altitude rapidly after that, black smoke spewing from its innards.

“Ignis.”

“ _I saw it. The MTs they’re transporting appear rigged to self-destruct on impact. They must be planning to use them to bomb the train. We can’t let any of the airships pass.”_

“Then we won’t.”

“ _Hold on, more ships incoming.”_

Ignis’ warning came moments before their ship accelerated sharply, forcing Lunafreya to brace against the turret to keep her footing. She heard the roar of ammunition fire before a stream of bullets pelted the side of their hull. Ignis has angled the ship so none entered the hanger but she could hear klaxons blaring elsewhere in the ship’s interior.

Another ship came along their starboard and she wasted no time in targeting the vulnerable hanger. Like the last ship, the resulting explosion crippled the vessel within moments and sent it listing to the side to scrap against the next ship trying to slip around them to the train. Hot shrapnel from the first explosion caused yet another detonation, taking out the second ship as well.

“ _Luna, watch out, they’re trying to surround us.”_

Lunafreya was considering moving to the other turret for a more suitable angle of attack when she heard a crash, not dissimilar to that of bodies tumbling across the floor of the hanger, followed by a noise made awful in its familiarity. MTs were always morbidly peculiar in the way they sounded, far closer to tortured screams than anything truly mechanical.

The noise was no less unsettling when coupled with the stilted way they pulled themselves to their feet, like puppets on strings. The two MTs brandished arms that broke open, transforming into automated gatling guns before opening fire. Lunafreya thought she might’ve heard her brother’s panicked voice amid the ricochet of their bullets against her hastily thrown up barrier. Something about ramming?

The ship twisted into a sudden turn, nearly causing her and the MTs both to hit the deck. Taking advantage of the distraction she summoned a burst of white magic, blasting the MTs clear out of the hanger.

With their ship free of hostiles, Lunafreya practically slumped in relief, inordinately glad not to have to concern herself about worrying the others with the slip in her composure. Magic, it seemed, was steadily becoming more taxing on her body, enough that it might become problematic sooner rather than later. Speaking of worrying…

“Ignis?”

“ _Luna –!”_ Ignis’ voice cutout as the ship shuddered, metal grinding horribly under the impact of some unseen force before the floor tilted. Lunafreya could only surmise they must’ve been hit as she was sent sprawling on her knees, sliding down toward the opposite hanger door and getting a generous view of dry sand dunes intermingled with expansive swaths of snow and ice characteristic of the terrain beneath them.

Reaching out for the only obstruction in her path, she latched onto the supports of the port side turret bolted into the deck, nearly wrenching her arm lose in the process. She clung to the cold metal, gasping as she watched her feet dangle over the impressive drop below. Then, mercifully, the ship leveled out and Lunafreya quickly pulled herself up behind the turret.

“ _Luna, are you alright?”_

She took a breath, aiming for as calm a tone as possible before reaching for her earpiece. “I’m fine, we must keep going.”

“ _Actually, you might want to pull back; there’s likely to be a little divine intervention.”_ That was Ravus. Lunafreya turned her attention back to the train, having been unable to keep track of their progress in all the chaos. If the sudden appearance of Leviathan over the nearby cliffs was any indication, it looked as though their daemon infestation would be taken care of shortly.

The Hydraean was no less outraged for their new alliance and viciously swept up the surviving daemons and airships, spearing them on watery claws. One ship that had managed to get uncomfortably close to the train was crushed in her massive jaws. Then, just as abruptly as she had arrived, she vanished into the distance, taking with her the drowned remains of the Empire’s horde.

Her intervention gave them the battle, but not before their own vessel was leaking smoke from one of its primary engines. Ravus could likely see the signs of damage from where he’d gone to investigate the train’s interior as she detected a note of genuine worry in his voice over the comms. _“Lunafreya, Ignis, are the two of you alright?”_

“ _Well enough, though our ship is in need of repair,”_ Ignis dutifully reported. _“Luna?”_

“ _I am unharmed. But what of you and the others? Are the passengers safe?” She prayed none of the daemons or MTs had broken through._

“ _We’ve removed the daemon threat, but…”_

“ _We haven’t heard from Noct or Prompto in a while,”_ Gladio finished. _“Something could’ve gone wrong. Either of you see ’em from up there?”_

Luna looked down to the train below. Despite the condition of their ship, they were flying at a substantially higher altitude then they had been before. Noct and Prompto could very well be on the roof of the train and Lunafreya unable to spot them.

“ _No sign of them yet. I’m bringing us in for a closer look.”_

But before Ignis could begin lowering the ship Noct’s voice broke over the comms, _“We’ve gotta stop this thing!”_

“ _Noct! What’s –” Ravus began only for Noctis to cut him off, words frantic._

“ _Prompto fell off the train. I pushed him – I mean, Ardyn made me –”_

Gladio attempted to calm his king, _“Slow down, Noct. Does that mean –”_

“ _Didn’t get the chance, looked like Ardyn had a gun to his head. I don’t know where he is, but we can’t leave him!”_ Noct continued, near hysterical.

Ravus spoke more gently than she’d ever heard him, _“Noct, we can’t. Night will fall soon, stopping the train would endanger everyone onboard. We’d be sitting ducks for the daemons.”_

“ _But… Ignis?”_ Noctis pleaded, clearly hoping Ignis would offer up a more encouraging option.

Lunafreya could practically feel her brother’s hesitance to disappoint. Prompto and his cheerful disposition had grown on them both in the past weeks, in spite of Ignis’ aversion to the young man’s camera. Prompto’s optimism had been invaluable during those moments of initial awkwardness and mistrust.

“ _I’m sorry, Noct. We took some damage in the firefight. We’re close enough we ought to be able to manage limping the rest of the way to Tenebrae. But I’m afraid if we land now I won’t be able to get the ship airborne again and, given the chancellor’s involvement, it’s probable your friend’s no longer where we left him. In any case, he may try to contact us. We’ve not much choice but to wait and hope for now.”_

“ _Noct, can you make your way to the engine? Gladio is with me,” Ravus asked._

“ _Yeah… Is everyone else okay at least?”_ Noct finally managed.

“ _Yes.”_

“ _Alright, I’m on my way.”_

As Lunafreya listened to the heavy words exchanged over the comms, she knew she must make ready to speak with Noctis. If Ardyn was forcing their hand then the time she had to give was at an end. She would uphold her duty and Noct would know of his fate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp, this chapter has taught me how little I know about imperial airships, but it was also the most fun I’ve had writing Luna so I hope it was enjoyable! Now if only Prompto was having a good time...


	7. Coming Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time for some familiar faces.

**_Tenebrae_ **

They arrived in Tenebrae to find the manor ablaze, the orange glow of burning embers igniting the evening sky like a beacon. Tall pillars of smoke rose up, standing as great monoliths over the remnants of their ancestral home.

Ignis felt numb. He’d known the Empire would retaliate as consequence for his betrayal – even predicted Fenstala Manor as a likely target. But to witness its destruction was a bitter reminder of all they stood to lose. Luna remained at his side in silent solidarity as they took in the damage together, knowing this to be only the beginning. In the struggle to preserve the world from the darkness many more such atrocities were all but guaranteed to follow.

He touched down on one of the nearby cliffs, nestled between the handful of airships Aranea had managed to sequester from the imperial inventory not currently occupied in the effort to douse the flames with fire suppressant. From the looks of things, she and her men had successfully secured the station as well as the grounds outside the manor.

It was simple enough to leave their damaged craft in the hands of the soldiers milling about before making the quick trek to join the others, their passage eased by the reverence held for the oracle. Here Luna’s casual attire did little in way of concealing her identity and the crowd parted with excited chatter blossoming in her wake. Ignis was unable to suppress the pride fueled upturn of his lips. Regardless of circumstance, Luna’s presence instilled people with hope.

Noctis and the others were not difficult to locate, the towering builds of Gladio and Ravus standing over Noct cut an impressive profile amidst the refugees. On approach it was plain to see Prompto’s disappearance weighed heavily on them and Ignis prayed Ardyn saw more use in keeping the cheerful blond alive than not.

Noct looked up as they drew near. "You guys made it."

"Of course," Ignis replied simply.

Gladio's eyes gave the station a wary once-over. "So, what's with all the imperial goons?"

"Strange they haven't taken any aggressive action toward us." Ravus had his attention on one squadron of soldiers in particular that were involved in guiding refugees away from the station.

"Ah, likely recruits of Aranea's..." Ignis trailed off as the Lucians seemed startled by his mention of the commodore.

"Wait, Aranea?"

Whatever Noct was about to say was interrupted by the woman herself calling out from the station steps, "Hey, Handsome, didn't know you were joining up with the boy band."

Noctis and Gladio both froze in place, eyes widening, while Ravus seemingly choked on air before somewhat gracefully transitioning the noise into a more polite cough. Ignis ignored their reactions to Aranea’s special brand of humor along with Luna’s speculative glance as if his very life depended on it. “It became mutually advantageous.”

Noctis was the first to recover. “So you guys do know each other?”

“You got that right, Pretty Boy. You’re looking at the brains behind Eos’ newest search and rescue operation.” Aranea slung an arm over Ignis’ shoulders, a gesture she had not practiced regularly since he was much younger – shorter too.

“Yes, well, while it’s true no introductions are necessary for _some_ in our company, I believe there’s one acquaintance you’ve yet to make.” Ignis directed her attention toward Luna. “May I introduce my sister, Lunafreya Nox Fleuret. Luna, this is Aranea Highwind, former Commodore of the Third Army Corps 86th Airborne Unit and a longtime ally of mine.”

Aranea easily pulled away from him and smiled. “So, I finally get to meet the big sis you’re always gushing about.”

“The pleasure is all mine, I assure you, Miss Highwind,” Luna acknowledged Aranea with a respectful bow of her head. “It grants me considerable relief to know my brother was not always so alone.”

‘’Don’t worry about it, princess. Someone had to teach this stiff a thing or two about how to have fun.” Aranea’s smile gained that playful edge to it that gave away she was entirely aware of what she was doing.

Luna made an admiral effort of not outright laughing at her brother’s expense. The Lucians, on the other hand, had no such qualms and wore their amusement at his predicament plainly. Ignis rolled his eyes at the lot of them. At least Aranea’s shenanigans appeared to be having quite the effect on Noctis and the others. Not an entirely unfortunate turn of events, seeing as they could very well use a boost in morale. Of course, it didn’t take Aranea long to home in on the reason for said needed morale. “Uh, wasn’t there one more of you guys?”

The question had an immediate sobering effect on the others. Noct in particular shifted uncomfortably. “Yeah… there was.”

“We… lost track of him,” Gladio supplied.

Aranea frowned in a rare display of genuine concern. “Is he dead?”

Noct shook his head. “I… we don’t know.”

“Then quit moping, keep hoping. And in the meantime, handle what’s at hand.”

Oddly enough, Aranea’s words seemed to stir something in Noct and he rose to his feet.“Guess you got a point there.”

Aranea offered Noct a brief smile of approval before turning to Ignis. “So, Specs, I’m guessing you noticed the fire?”

“Indeed.” Ignis would had to have been blind not to. “Were there any casualties?”

Aranea shook her head. “We were lucky. Most people got out before the manor went up in smoke. It was a good call to send me here. The daemons have been acting out ever since the incident in Altissia.”

_Incident_ was certainly one way to describe the near catastrophic events they’d all experienced in summoning the Tidemother, but Aranea had further confirmed their suspicions – the dawn didn’t have much longer. “Perhaps it’s time we began urging the rural citizenry to move toward designated places of safety. In light of what’s happened, I think it’s unwise we allow passengers to continue on from this station. Were you able to locate the data for project Immortalis?”

Aranea grimaced. “Yep, looks like a pretty nasty customer, too. I’ll be heading out to take care of it next, just as soon as we get these people sorted.”

“Are you certain it’s wise to go alone?” Ignis couldn’t help but ask, knowing full well Aranea would only tease him for his trouble.

“Relax, Handsome. Haven’t you got enough people to mother hen, speaking of which –” Aranea motioned towards her red airship in the distance. “Go check in with Biggs and Wedge before you set off again; sent ’em after that package you requested.”

Ignis nodded. “My thanks, Aranea. Please be safe, and take care walking your path.”

“Got no plans to do otherwise, Specs.” The humor slipped off Aranea’s face and her eyes hardened with the utmost seriousness. “You guys watch your backs out there. That goes double for you, Handsome.”

“Understood,” Ignis agreed. Even had he not grown more familiar with Noct’s retinue over the past weeks, they were important to Noct so he would defend them all as best he could and he knew without question they’d extend the same courtesy to Luna. Besides, where they were going there would be no room for doubt amongst their ranks.

“And, hey, if _lover boy_ here doesn’t do a good enough job we’ll watch it for him.” Gladio surprised Ignis by smacking one beefy hand down on his shoulder.

Ravus scoffed, but joined in none the less. “You should consider him under the care of experienced prince sitters.”

Noctis rolled his eyes but managed a small smile at his retainers’ antics. “Yeah, you’ve got nothing to worry about.”

Aranea’s grin was razor sharp. “In that case, I’m counting on you three. Don’t disappoint me.”

Idly, Ignis considered the benefits of the earth opening up and swallowing him whole right then and there. Perhaps then someone else would be forced to deal with these antics instead.

  
  


* * *

Ravus frowned at a distant flash of lightning. Thunder soon followed, echoing ominously over the surrounding Zoldara Henge Mountains and signaling an oncoming storm – one he hoped Noct would not tempt his chances of getting caught in.

After parting ways with Aranea, Ignis led them on a winding path away from the spectacle of the fires consuming the historic home of the oracle. Along the way Lady Lunafreya had very purposefully made eye contact with her brother before requesting a word with Noct in private, the two of them veering off down a worn trail heading up to the gardens, or what remained of them at any rate.

Ravus watched them go with practicality and compassion warring in his heart. It was no surprise Noct was eager for a moment alone with Lunafreya. Ever since Prompto’s disappearance Noct had been withdrawn and closed off to any offer of comfort – not that Gladio or Ravus himself were particularly well versed at offering – but he seemed to recover some manner of his former energy on following Lunafreya to the sylleblossom fields. Though this was hardly the time to split their number so recklessly, Ravus was hesitant to make mention of it.

“Should we really be letting those two run off on their own?” Gladio openly questioned, never one to allow more delicate matters to outweigh his duties as a shield.

“They can hardly get into too much trouble. Luna is not so foolish as to take them far.” At least Ignis also seemed reluctant to step in, though Ravus could not help but find the decision a bit out of character for the often protective younger Fleuret.

“Still don’t understand why they gotta run off in the middle of the night, or did we forget the psycho-freak trying to get us all killed?” Gladio reiterated.

“I suspect the lady wished to impart information of a sensitive nature,” Ravus attempted to curtail Gladio’s interference as well as gauge a reaction from the Tenebraen prince.

But Ignis kept his back to them as he pulled open a heavy wooden door, the aged material creaking with the motion, and they found themselves entering a quaint guest cottage removed from the main infrastructure of the manor, spared damage from the fires by virtue of its seclusion. “You are all welcome to rest here until we’re ready to depart. I’ll see about having some food sent up in the meantime.”

“Your hospitality is appreciated.” Ravus glanced about the offered set of rooms, likely less grand than most accommodations found on the premises but endowed with a rustic charm and more than a few artistic embellishments by the looks of the classical paintings lining the walls. Ravus found his attention drawn to one piece in particular.

“You’ve an eye for art,” Ignis commented, having noticed his interest after directing Gladio to the bedrooms – the larger man having little interest in the surrounding decor. “If I recall, this piece was from the Solheim Revival Era, a rendition of –”

“The Warrior of Light’s Trial,” Ravus finished. “It bears all the marks, and yet I don’t believe I’ve ever encountered this version of the tale. Normally, the warrior sacrifices all for his king, but in this instance the character clearly stands to protect a maiden from the daemon.”

Ignis joined him at the painting. “It is a rather curious retelling. I understand it to have been a gift to the royal family from a local artisan some centuries ago.”

“Curious, indeed.” Ravus’ gaze bore into the painted image without taking in any of the finer details of the angelic maiden reaching out for the warrior as fiery claws gripped his arm or of the dying sun casting the scene in vibrant shades of red.

“Something on your mind?”

“A great many things, I fear. I do, however, wonder if you might permit me an inquiry rather direct in nature.” At Ignis’ nod Ravus elaborated, “your eyes?”

Ignis blinked, the action appearing more robotic for its slowness. “What of them?”

“I have doubts that you were born with prosthetic implants.” Ravus watched the other man from the corner of his eye, noting his resigned acceptance of the sensitive topic.

“Your doubts are correct. The emperor desired a conduit unto the Crystal’s might and the loyalty of his new high commander tested. I bore the ring simply to prove the Lucii would not find me worthy.” Ignis gestured toward his scars and inhuman eyes. “This is proof of their verdict.”

What did one say to that? Ravus furrowed his brow. “You knew the ring would not accept you?”

“I am not of the line of Lucis,” Ignis replied simply. “However, that’s not to say the Kings of Old found me entirely without use.”

An image of Ignis holding fire elemancy in his bare hand flashed to the forefront of Ravus’ mind. He nearly startled at the realization. He’d had his suspicions about the other’s abilities but never had he connected them to the ring. “But then why…” Ravus gave a helpless gesture to his own face.

“There is always a price.” The younger man’s gaze bore into Ravus severely for but a moment before he abruptly turned away. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have some other matters to attend to. Don’t hesitate to call should you have need of anything.”

“Right…” Ravus watched as Ignis left the cottage at a brisk pace, contemplating all he’d learned. He looked toward the bedrooms to find Gladio standing at the end of the hallway, the two of them shared a meaningful look. Noct needn’t know of this.

  
  


* * *

Ignis felt the first drops of rain drum against his back as he neared one of the clusters of airships huddled around the manor grounds. With any luck, the storm would help snuff out the remaining fires.

Providing Ravus with answers had not been pleasant but it was a necessary step in ensuring the man’s continued trust. They would surely have need of it in Zegnautus and Ignis aimed to assuage any doubts. Furthermore, Luna and Noct were due to return soon and would benefit from a united support group.

But first, Ignis had a package to retrieve.

Wedge caught sight of him first from the loading ramp on Aranea’s signature red airship. “Well, look whut the coeurl’s gone an’ dragged in!”

Ignis rose a hand in greeting and Biggs wasted no time in clapping him heartily on the back as soon as he was within range. “It’s good ta see ya, Iggs.”

“I must say, it’s bloody good to see you both as well.” Ignis joined them in the hanger and watched as Wedge quickly disappeared further into the bowels of the ship.

“Sorry about tha manor, mate,” Biggs offered, glancing back up to the thick smoke stacks still standing tall over the ancient stonework in spite of the rain. “Got ‘ere as fast as we could.”

Ignis waved off the apology. “It can’t be helped. What’s important now is the safety of the people, anything else we can rebuild.”

Wedge returned a moment later, black briefcase in hand. “Got tha goods ya requested, can’t imagine whut for.”

Ignis accepted the case. “You have my thanks, though I’m afraid I’ve another favor to ask.”

Biggs cocked his head in interest. “Whut’s all this about then?”

“I have need of transport to Gralea, preferably one not easily noticed,” Ignis elaborated.

“‘Fraid that’s a tall order, mate.” Biggs pulled off his cap, scratching at the back of his head in a gesture of frustration. “We’d lend ya an airship but the last reports from Gralea are goin’ on about daemons swarmin’ the city and the skies. Nothing’s flying in or out.”

“Awful sketchy if ya ask me,” Wedge added.

“The longer nights are having a substantial effect on the daemons. It stands to reason that Zegnautus would experience the results of such an event all the more severely. After all, many of the creatures were created there.” Ignis hummed in thought. “In any case, an approach from the air might be out of the question but unless I’m quite mistaken the state is still in possession of a naval reserve, assuming it hasn’t been entirely decommissioned.”

“You’re gonna invade Gralea by sea?” Biggs asked incredulously.

“Could work,” Wedge reasoned. “Can’t beat an airship for speed, but it’ll outrun the rails.”

“Ah, speaking of which, are either of you familiar with operating a train?”

  
  


* * *

A brief negotiation later Ignis found his way back toward the guest cottage, just as dawn would normally be surfacing on the horizon. But the darkness held strong as he hesitated at the small overlook connected to the cottage’s outer deck. Luna was there, watching the flames finally fizzle out in the rain.

“How did Noct take the news?”

Luna turned to him, face drawn and eyes red, looking near fresh tears. The talk had gone about as well as expected, then. When he approached she held her hand out palm up, revealing the cursed ring there within.

“Oh, Luna.” Ignis instinctively reached out to comfort her but stopped himself. It was not unreasonable to expect she might not appreciate the gesture after he’d fought her on this. But he needn’t have worried. Luna tucked herself into his side and buried her face against his shoulder in a rare display of emotion. He wrapped his arms around her in response, rubbing small circles into her back. “He will come to understand.”

Luna’s voice was barely a breath, nearly drowned out by the rainfall. “I wish it didn’t have to be this way.”

Ignis held her tighter.

“Promise me,” she whispered “No matter what happens, you will stand by his side.”

“I promise.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn’t even realize how much I missed Aranea until she popped up. This part of the game is just so heavy on the emotional side and the urge to give the characters something to smile about is near irresistible. 
> 
> Anyways, hope you guys are all safe out there! And if you enjoyed the chapter I'd love to hear from you in the comments! ;D


	8. Tasting Ashes

Light invaded the cool darkness of the loaned bedroom like the Empire’s influence over the territories of Eos – rudely. Noct groaned and burrowed under the sheets in a well-practiced maneuver, seeking refuge from the piercing brightness slipping in through the gap in the heavy curtains.

He didn’t even remember falling asleep last night – must’ve nodded off sometime after his talk with Luna…

_Right._ Prophecy of Kings, purging the darkness to bring back the dawn… dying. How was he supposed to tell the others about this? Would Prompto ever know what happened to him. Would he ever know what happened to Prompto?

_Had his dad known?_

He really didn’t want to face the answers to any of these questions, but the others would be waiting for him and he didn’t think he could handle a lecture right now.

With another groan he pushed himself up out of the tangled sheets, squinting against the glare from the window. Judging by the light outside, he’d say it was almost midday, definitely not early morning. Of course, with the days and nights all out of whack, that didn’t necessarily mean anything. Still, it’s a little off-putting how he hadn’t heard from any of the others. Usually Ravus or Gladio would’ve beat his door down by now, nagging him to get the hell up and quit wasting time. He wondered where everyone was.

After pulling himself together as much as he could he stepped out into the hallway. All the other bedroom doors were closed but there was a commotion coming from down the hall where he remembered seeing a kitchen of sorts on his way through last night. Maybe Ignis was making something. Noctis didn’t exactly feel up to eating anything but maybe he could satisfy his curiosity instead.

“Ignis?” Noctis turned the corner expecting to find his friend bent over some heavenly-smelling concoction on the stovetop. Instead he was faced with an elderly woman dressed in a traditional looking dress and blue apron with her pale hair tied back in an orderly bun. “Oh, sorry.”

The woman looked up and gave him a gentle smile. “No harm done, Prince Noctis. I bade Lord Ignis to rest this morning. He was most insistent on seeing to the relief efforts in the night. I’m afraid the poor dear pushes himself much too harshly. In this regard, he and Lady Lunafreya are not so different. It pleases me so to see the three of you reunited at long last.”

“I’m sorry, have we…”

“No need to apologize. I doubt you’ll remember me after all these long years.” The woman stepped back from the stove to offer him a respectful bow, “I am Maria, a retainer in service to House Fleuret. You were but a small boy when last we met and now just look at what a fine young man you’ve grown into.”

“Ah, thanks.” Embarrassingly, Noct could feel the blood rushing to his face.

As Maria returned to her work Noctis spotted Umbra sitting in the corner of the room, watching them quietly. He offered Noctis a happy tail wag but otherwise stayed where he was.

“So, what can I do for you?” Maria pressed, probably after noticing him still lurking about the kitchen doorway, looking entirely too lost for some supposed chosen savior.

“Oh, um…” Noctis floundered for a moment. “Don’t suppose you could tell me where the others went? Uh, two tall guys in black?”

“The men you arrived with went into town not long ago, seeking supplies for your journey.” Maria took a pan from the stove and stooped down to scrape the contents into a dish set at Umbra’s feet. The dog waited until she backed away before digging in, tail wagging with gusto.

“Oh, right. Thanks.” Noctis watched Umbra eat, still unsure of what to do with himself. In the rare occasions Ravus and Gladio left him to his own devices Prompto had seemingly always been there, dragging him off somewhere, camera in hand. The thought was just another twist of the phantom knife in his heart and now he didn’t really know what to do with himself. He might’ve tried to catch up with Ignis but the guy had probably been up all hours of the night making preparations. Luna most likely didn’t have a much better chance at sleep and… he wasn’t quite ready to face her alone just yet.

Maria spared him a knowing glance as she began stirring something with a wooden spoon. “If you don’t mind my saying so, Prince Noctis, you look as if you have something on your mind.”

Despite everything, Noctis found himself smiling ruefully. “You could say that.”

“In all my years of service I’ve never known brooding on an empty stomach to be very productive.” Maria poured the contents of another pan onto pale sheets of dough, which she folded over on the plate, before moving to place them at the table in the cozy dining room attached to the kitchen. “Won’t you have something before you depart with your friends?”

Despite his nonexistent appetite, Noctis couldn’t help investigating. Whatever was on that plate smelled amazing – and strangely familiar. Thin pancakes filled with some type of cream were nestled beside a heaping portion of different fruits and berries. He recognized the vanilla crepes as one of his favorite breakfasts during his first stay at Fenstala Manor.

The nostalgia hit him harder than he expected. The faint echo of Luna and Iggy’s child-like laughter haunted the quaint dining space, as if summoned by the memory of his first experience with the sweet crepes. At the time his mouth had been much too full to join in. He sat more heavily than intended in the ornate wooden chair.

“That’s really kind of you.”

“Think nothing of it, dear. All I ask is that you not hesitate to call should you have want of anything else.” Maria bent into another bow, before turning toward the door. She paused to give Umbra a quick ear rub on her way out. “I understand you will go hence to the imperial capital.”

“Yeah.” Noctis watched as she stood once more, taking with her the canine messenger’s empty dish.

“You young people walk a difficult path and I fear there will be more hardships ahead. But I pray that fortune will smile down on you, Prince Noctis, and I urge you to look to those who would take up arms at your side against the darkness. The burden you carry was never meant to be borne by one. Please, take care on the road ahead.”

  
  


* * *

  
  


The small boy seated across from her was in a bad way, auburn hair hanging limply over his too pale face and urging Lunafreya to sweep the fringe aside as she placed her hands on his frail shoulders.

One could almost mistake the dark patches discoloring his arms for ash born of the raging fires that still smoldered in the morning light if not for the sickly pallor of his skin and fever brightness of his eyes. This child would not have lasted much longer without her intervention.

She was more thankful than ever that she had managed to provide some comfort to the afflicted refugees before she pushed on with Noctis to complete the covenants and reclaim the Crystal. Ignis had been hesitant to encourage her to offer healing so close to their coming departure but she had reasoned anything might befall them on the journey ahead and it might well be some time until she could return to the people here. Besides, she would have ample time to rest on the way, it was not as if they were going to walk.

Lunafreya sighed, breathing deeply and centering her energy. It was rather irksome to be coddled so, especially since she was hardly the only one taking risks. Her brother had a rather reckless self-sacrificing streak of his own to contend with, one he refused to acknowledge. She could only hope he’d receive more push back from Noctis and the others when they convened later today to discuss how they were to move forward and infiltrate the Keep.

Golden light seeped from her hands, banishing the dark stains from the boy’s skin and returning color to his face. His eyes grew wide as his body’s suffering came to a close.

As soon as she pulled away from him, the boy’s parents seized him in a crushing hug. The father made a point to bow respectfully to her before ushering his family out of the small tent set up for her purposes. “Thank you, Lady Lunafreya. Praise be to the Six for your return.”

“Please, go in peace.”

An elderly woman entered next on shaky legs, led by her daughter to the now vacant chair.

Lunafreya took a moment to glance out at the small crowd lined up outside. She had best hurry if she did not wish to keep the others waiting.

  
  


* * *

  
  


“So… we’re not taking an airship?” Gladio sounded out his question in such a way that his feelings over the less than ideal news were made clear.

“Word has it the night skies over Gralea are unsafe, plagued by flying daemons no less. I recommend traveling by rail. The express train we just rescued is too damaged for use by civilians but likely your safest route through the Rift,” Ignis patiently explained, before adding, “And it has the space to transport your Regalia.”

“Wait, aren’t you coming with us?” Noctis snapped out of the quiet daze he’d been immersed in since Ignis had joined them in the guest cottage. Everyone looked surprised at the revelation except for Luna, who merely frowned, having already voiced opposition to her brother’s alternate arrangements.

Ravus’ expression pinched in suspicion. “What are you planning?”

“There is a device inside Zegnautus Keep that’s meant to interfere with your connection to the Crystal. I’m going to shut it down,” Ignis explained.

By the look on Noct’s face, Ignis suspected he’d already come into contact with a similar dampening mechanism. “I can’t let you go in alone.”

“I’m afraid there’s not much choice, this disguise only works for one.” Ignis snapped open the case he’d picked up from Biggs and Wedge. An MT faceplate stared out at them, nestled atop a bundle of fabric and the trademark armor worn by MT units. “Due to my actions in Altissia, I suspect my previous security clearance will no longer be sufficient to allow peaceful entry into the Keep. Posing as a MT should allow me to move in without raising the alarm. I’ll rendezvous with you inside once I’ve disabled the dampening device.”

“You really think that getup is gonna fool anyone?” Gladio gestured to the side of his own head. “Someone’s bound to notice your eyes glowing the wrong color.”

“Yes, about that.” They watched as Ignis removed his contact lens. Without them his eyes burned brighter, appearing more robotic and missing the white sclera of human eyes. “Now to see if my custom settings can still be altered.”

Moments later the optics switched to an uncomfortably familiar magitek red.

In the charged silence that followed Noct glared down at the contents of the case. “I don’t like this. If you’re found out you’ll be outnumbered without backup.”

“And as long as that device is active you’ll have no access to your magic and my disguise will be near useless if I’m accompanied,” Ignis reminded. “I’ve been surrounded by MTs enough to know how to imitate them flawlessly. Alone my chances of discovery will be minimal.”

Ravus let out a frustrated breath. “This plan is dangerous.”

“You expected storming Zegnautus to be somehow otherwise?” Ignis smiled wryly.

“But wait.” Noct looked as though he’d stumbled onto an answer he hadn’t known he’d been looking for. “I thought you said passengers weren’t being allowed to continue on from this station.”

Perhaps in a last stitch effort to prevent his departure from the group, Luna pointedly observed, “And unless I’m mistaken, I don’t believe any of us are abreast of the procedures involved in operating a train.”

This was not a detail in which Ignis had neglected to prepare for. “Actually, there are two associates whom I’ve been meaning to introduce.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, everyone! Just want to drop a quick heads up that I will be taking a break on posting for this story until I finish up with the Zegnautus Keep chapters. I may also be adding a few new warnings tags depending on how things go. Hopefully, it won’t be too long until I can continue sharing the story.


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